Release of sea turtle hatchlings continue, this time 149 leatherbacks

Santo Domingo.- The Environment Ministry on Tuesday announcedthree simultaneous releases of some 149 leatherback turtle hatchlings at severalbeaches across the country.

It said the releases were carried out at the beach PlayaCaribe, in San Pedro; Lavacama, La Altagracia; Manresa, Santo Domingo Oeste;and for the second time in less than a week on Guibia beach on the capital’s Malecon.

It said the release aims to conserve and protect marinespecies to ensure reproduction during nesting season.

Environment said the Coastal and Marine Resources Deputy Ministrycoordinated the effort supported by the municipal security personnel of the variousdistricts. “The release of the leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea) on Lavacama beachin coordination with the La Altagracia Provincial Office aims to protect andconserve the species during the 2016 season.”

In the Plaza de Gouge it is nested for the second time andthis time hawksbill security personnel sounded the warning, the technical staffof Coastal and Marine proceeding with the release to continue their process ofmultiplication.

On the beach Manresa, National District have nesting seaturtle species Dermochelys coriacea (leatherback) and Chelonia mydas (Green)occurred and eggs are transferred to the National Aquarium in coolers, to completethe process of hatching.

“Among the endangered species of turtles that spawn in thecountry include hawksbill (Carey) (Eretmochelys imbricata), green (Cheloniamydas), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) and Caguamo (Caretta caretta). Theselive in the sea, appear only during mating and travel thousands of miles,” Environmentsaid in a press release.